Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83053 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Yes, Mummy,” Lily agreed. “Listen to Thomas. Please. It’s been quite a day for you.”
Lady Ashford simply nodded. As Thomas helped her to her feet, she stumbled a bit and he steadied her.
“Are you feeling quite well?” Thomas asked, but then he shook his head at the absurdity of his words.
Of course she wasn’t well.
She’d just lost her husband.
“I’ll be all right, Thomas. But I believe I would like for you to see me to my chamber.”
“Yes, of course.”
Thomas helped her up the long winding staircase to the second story, where the earl’s quarters were located. As he headed toward them, she nudged him.
“No, Thomas. That is now your chamber. You’re the earl. Papa has been gone for over a week. I’ve instructed the maids to make up one of the large guestrooms for me.”
“Mummy, I’m not going to take your chamber.”
Lady Ashford held up a hand, her eyes stern. “It’s yours. I have no right to it anymore.”
“You have a right to it if I say you do.”
She stopped him, cupped his cheek. “Thomas, you darling boy. Do as I say, now. This is what your father would want. Trust me on that.”
“I’m not so sure, Mummy.”
“Be sure. This is your legacy.” She gestured down the grand hallway. “This is your estate now, Thomas. Everything on these lands is yours. Your responsibility. It’s a lot to deal with, so take the fringe benefits that come along with it. Your father certainly did when his father passed.”
Thomas opened his mouth to tell her it was a different situation. That his grandmother passed before his grandfather, so she didn’t have to give up her chamber like his mother was feeling obligated to.
But then he stopped.
Because his mother was correct.
The suite of rooms—the biggest and grandest in this mansion—were now his.
He would be expected to fill them.
First with a wife, and then with an heir.
And he would do it.
Because it was his duty.
THE RUBY
THE PERILS OF PORTIA
Episode Four
In Which Portia Hears a Scandalous Tale
A mischievous smile played on Donovan’s lips as he regarded Portia from under his long golden lashes. “Ah, my lady, a tale of scandal you seek.” He rested his hand upon the marble balustrade as he leaned in closer. Underneath the blanket of stars, the moonlit terrace was an intimate stage for their secret exchange.
He began his tale. “The maiden was a beauty unparalleled. Her charm was such that whenever she entered a room, everyone would turn and stare, captivated. She had two ardent admirers. The first was a man with hair as dark as midnight who possessed a seductive allure that could make even the most virtuous ladies question their morals.”
As Donovan spoke, Portia couldn’t help but be reminded of Lord Nigel Jeffries—the same striking dark hair and magnetic attraction that seemed impossible to resist.
“The second suitor,” Donovan continued, “had hair of golden silk. He was a roguish charmer, his sharp wit and thoughtful nature rare jewels in an otherwise vapid society.”
His description was startlingly self-referential, and Portia’s heart thumped in anticipation.
“The two men were polar opposites yet both equally smitten with the maiden. They courted her relentlessly. The dark-haired man, with his brooding intensity, would whisper poetic verses into her ear, his hand always lingering a little too long on the curve of her back.”
Warmth crept up Portia’s neck as his words painted a vivid picture of Lord Nigel’s actions towards her at their previous encounter.
“The golden-haired suitor, on the other hand,” Donovan continued with a gleam in his eyes, “resorted to laughter and shared confidences to win over the fair maiden. He would spin tales late into the night, his stories filled with scandal and intrigue that kept her longing for more.”
His words echoed the very encounter they were having, and for a moment Portia found herself caught between harsh reality and the tantalizing world Donovan was spinning. It became difficult to differentiate the story from her own life, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to.
“The maiden, however, was no innocent flower,” Donovan said, a note of admiration slipping into his voice. “She enjoyed their affections and didn’t shy away from their advances. She found pleasure in their rivaling attention, indulging in their desires as much as her own.”
His words resonated with Portia’s unspoken and undefined feelings for both Nigel and Donovan. She liked them both, yearned for both. Each presented a different allure—Nigel with his understated sensuality and Donovan with his radiant wit. A decision between the two seemed impossible.
“But desire is a double-edged sword.” Donovan’s voice dropped an octave, as if he were about to reveal a dangerous secret. “The more she gave into their advances, the more she found herself tangled in a web of her own making. Both men wanted her for themselves. Their demands grew, and their passions flared as jealousy began to gnaw at their hearts. The time for choosing was fast approaching, and the maiden, once relishing the thrill of their pursuit, found herself caught in a whirlwind of indecision and confusion.”